Pinkfish Pie

New Blog: Pinkfish Tart

2011-09-13T23:40:00.001+01:00

Hello everyone!

I can see that I haven't updated for a whole year now, and I'm sure that most of you aren't expecting an update either.

This doesn't actually count as an update, because what I said in my last goodbye post still holds true in that I will not update this blog further.

However, the innate desire in me to blog has been silently itching for a whole year, and I have decided (maybe unwisely) to start up another blog with a rather different intention to that here.

I don't intend my new blog to be mainly focused on beauty or makeup, but it will inevitably contain some posts about it since I am still very interested in makeup!

If any of you would care to pop along and have a look at my new blog Pinkfish Tart, it would mean a lot to me!

I am ever so grateful to those of you who I have gotten to know over these few years of blogging, and happy that I have managed to keep in touch with some of you via twitter. I hope that I will continue to meet some new friends, and perhaps catch up with some old ones?

What about my medical studies? Well actually this year I have a little bit more time, because instead of sitting my finals (which would make me officially a doctor afterwards), I am doing an intercalated BSc research topic this year!

I hope you have all been well over the last year.

With love,
Jian

A remorseful goodbye to blogging.

2010-08-22T08:33:00.004+01:00

This may or may not come as a surprise to you dear readers.

I've been considering lately, and I have come to the decision that I should quit blogging.

The reason is not because my interest in makeup has dwindled. It's purely for personal and academic reasons.

Unlike a lot of you other bloggers, I'm not as organised or as good at time management, hence I either blog, or do work. Never really both. When I'm supposed to be studying, I think about blogging, and vice versa too. Therefore I don't really put my heart into either studying or blogging.

The worst thing is that I shouldn't take my degree nor my future profession lightly. I don't think it really dawned on me what kind of impact I will be having on people's livelihoods.

I have come to the realisation, 3 years into my medical degree, that I really have to get my act together and become a good doctor, not just some mediocre one who just scraped by and doesn't know anything really. Because at the current rate that's how I feel I will turn out.

Being a 4th year isn't child's play anymore. In 2 years time, if you turn up in a hospital in the England with your life under threat, you could be in my hands. Isn't that daunting?

Thank you my loyal readers for all your support over the years. I would like to say "I may update again once in a while", but I know I really shouldn't, since otherwise I'll just carry on as I did before.

I hope you can understand my decision.

Wishing you all the best,

Jian

Hello from Shanghai

2010-08-09T06:28:00.001+01:00

Hi guys. Thanks to all of you that wished me a good trip! Shanghai has been fun so far. My korean unnie came to see me for a week and we went and did a whistle-stop sightseeing tour that left me absolutely knackered. Then my boyfriend came to see me too and we went to a mountain near Shanghai that was a mosquito-trap.

One of the random snaps that I took of Shanghai:

The two tallest buildings in Shanghai: Jin Mao Tower and Huan Qiu Tower

I feel like I've been apologising a fair bit recently for lack of updates. It's been quite busy here in Shanghai since I only have 3 and a half weeks here. I know it sounds like I'm making excuses but it really doesn't help that blogger is blocked, along with wordpress, twitter and facebook. I also need to apologise for lack of commenting on your own blogs - I have been reading, but I am unable to comment because it doesn't work using the proxy server I use!

One thing I meant to update about before leaving - I was able to meet Nic Nic from bangbangsheshoots in the UK whilst she was visiting from Tokyo! We chatted lots and had a nice day. She was so lovely as to gift me with a big bag of masks. She also gave me a box of Nexcare Acne Patches to try =)

Thanks again Nic Nic! I really love all of them. I've been using the Nexcare patches everytime I get a new zit and they really help! Unfortunately some tend to fall off when I sleep at night. I don't know if it happens to anyone else?

I also bought some things from Heathrow Terminal 5 when I left the UK.

I nabbed myself some Lancome sunblock (one for my mum, a Chanel creme foundation and a Bobbi Brown Gel Eyeliner Duo).

Close ups:

Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner Duo with a cute mini brush! Review should be coming in the next few posts. I've heard much about the Bobbi Brown eyeliners, so I finally caved in and bought two.

UV Expert GN-Shield SPF 50 PA+++. I thought it might be liquid-type like all the expensive brands are doing at the moment like Dior and Chanel. It's actually like a standard sunblock...

And my Korean friend brought me some things with her! She got me a HERA pen eyeliner which I forgot to take a photo of, and she also got me some Jill Stuart Nail Polishes since she remembers how I went to hunt for a JS cosmetic counter when I was in Seoul! Haha.

Such pretty sheer colours! The packaging is shiny and princess-like too. And the nail polishes smell sweet and fruity like all Jill Stuart makeup!

Anyway, hope you guys are all well! I'm really being devoured alive by mosquitoes. My mosquito repellent application has almost taken on almost an obsessive compulsive component, but they still bite the bits I miss occassionally, like behind the knees and on the back of my elbows.

I hate mosquitoes. Thankfully though, they are no match for my super duper electric fly racket. But that's only if I see them first.

Off to Shanghai

2010-07-24T23:51:00.002+01:00

Sorry for the lack of updates recently!

The end of term is always hectic because we have some formal sign off things to do, tests and stuff like that.

My new house is all done and sorted for now! I have 99.9% of the furniture now! =) Just missing a few odd bits and bobs.

But now..

I'm off to Shanghai tomorrow! My flight is at 13.50, so hopefully I will get there early and nab me some good duty free bargains!

Hopefully blogger is unblocked..if not I'll have to resort to updating by email again...

I'll be busy anyway since my korean unnie is coming to see me for a week. Maybe I'll take some photos xD

Hope you're all having great summers so far! I'm so relieved that myholidays have finally started. 4 weeks of freedom! Bliss...

Giveaway Winner Announced

2010-07-20T23:42:00.002+01:00

Thanks to all that entered my giveaway!

I finally managed to sit down and process all the entries (there were a lot of them...).

I'm pleased to announce the winner is

Vanity-fashionista

Congratulations Vicky, and again thanks to everyone else that entered!!! Sorry if you didn't win this time. There's still plenty of other giveaways still open and around though!

I've stolen your family jewels.

2010-07-12T22:32:00.004+01:00

While I've been silent on blogger I've tip-toed over to all your houses, ransacked your family safes and run off with your family jewels. Then I strung them all over this poor light.

It's rather bling when the lights are turned on.

But no really, it's just a crappy snap of a sneak peek of my new house that I'm in the process of moving into!

At the moment I haven't moved much across but we've been getting beds, and wardrobes and tables and household appliances and TVs and all that palava. Thank God my mother has come back from Shanghai to help me. I don't know what I'd do without her!

And on top of that I still have to go to hospital to show my face so I can get signed off for attendance.

Okay enough chit-chat. I must really get on with some work and packing.

Hope you're all having bearable Mondays.

Thanks to all that have entered my giveaway so far by the way. It ends this Friday, so make sure you stick in an entry if you haven't done so yet!

Amazing Summer Giveaways

2010-07-01T12:57:00.004+01:00

There's so many giveaways in the summer season. I guess the sweltering summer heat (unless you're from down under..) and holiday mood makes everyday more generous and giving!

* ALL OPEN INTERNATIONALLY~~~!*

Firstly, my lovely London friend Leanne from ilovexly.blogspot.com is having a Grace Your Face Giveaway to celebrate 200 posts! (Man..I haven't even made it to 200 posts yet).

You could win:

'Grace Your Face' - Pre date Brightening Mask (2 masks)

'Grace Your Face' - Tea tree Blemish cover stick
'Grace Your Face' - Oil Blotting Tissues (60 in pack)
'Eye Shine Brightly' Eye Gloss, in purple.
'Essence' Crystal Eyeliner in glitter blue~
'Blemish Mud' face mask :)

And you get this amazing giraffe too that she lovingly handcrafted. Man, I'm entering for the giraffe!

For full details check her original blog post. Ending date TBC.

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May from maypearls.blogspot.com is having a stunning designer giveaway.

She's giving away a Marc Jacobs keyring, bag, a Lancome Hypnose mascara gift set and a set of Koji DollyWink falsies! Talk about generous...

Pretty amazing right? For full details check out her original blog post. Ends 18th July 2010.

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Georgina from coffretgorge.blogspot.com is having a birthday celebration giveaway.

She's giving away the kawaii-est things that she got on her recent trip to Hong Kong (lucky her, she really did look like she had a lot of fun!)

For full details check out her original blog post. Ends 31st July 2010.

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Another Londoner, Vicky from vanity-fashionista.blogspot.com is having a giveaway to celebrate 75 followers! A look at the loot:

I don't know about you, but I wouldn't mind having that!
For full details check out her original blog post. Ends on the 22nd July 2010.

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And finally, Louise from syry-online.blogspot.com is giving away goodies from maybelline, clinique, olay and other brands:

For full details check out her original blog post. Ends 29th June 2010.

Whew. What a jam-packed post of goodies.

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On that note, don't forget to enter my giveaway too if you haven't already done so. I've extended the end date to Friday 16th July 2010 to give you a bit of extra time to get those entries in!

Click HERE for the original post on how to enter.

And I have had a few questions about if it's okay to put it in your blog sidebar. That's totally fine with me!

Okay, this post took me a hell of a lot longer than it should have done. Time to get onto laundry-folding and doing some work.

What are your plans for today? =)

Mini O.P.I. Haul.

2010-06-26T20:29:00.005+01:00

Believe it or not, I've never actually owned an O.P.I. nail polish before. Yesterday however that all changed.

After my night shift in Emergency Medical Unit (a bit like A&E but slightly less intense), I popped into town for a Flake Mocha from Costa, my prescription eyedrops and I got me some shiny nail polishes.

Miniatures to be precise.

This one here be a Shrek-tacular set:

And I also got some loose miniatures on the side since the shop was selling them at £3 a pop. They really are tiny at 3.75ml, but I thought hell, why not? I have never in my life finished a bottle of polish before it went as gloopy as glue.

One coat:

Two coats:

Well, I don't think it looks too shabby now does it?

Bit upset about the uneveness of the application of the first coat, but the second coat seems to make it much better.

Hope your weekends are as bright as my nails!

My mum and brother flew in from Shanghai yesterday, so we're going to spend today shopping for furniture and bits and bobs. Summer sale =)

What are you spending your Sunday doing?

P.S. Stay tuned for my giveaway. Prizes coming very soon... hopefully!

My 2nd Giveaway: 330 Followers Thank You! Win Anna Sui Love EDT, MAC Pigment and Mini OPI Polish

2010-06-26T20:20:00.008+01:00

Hi everyone,

I have noticed that the number of followers in my little follower-box seems to have been increasing. And recently it hit 330! So, to mark the event and to thank you for all your readership and kind words I am holding my 2nd giveaway.

Before I raise your hopes too much, I'd like to point out that the prizes are bits and pieces that I either bought or received from friends that I don't use, so unfortunately they're not boxed!

One lucky winner will receive:

* Anna Sui Love EDT 30ml
* M.A.C. Pigment in Bell Bottom Blue
* O.P.I. Mini Nail Lacquer 3.75 ml

And a bunch of samples:

* SkinFood Salmon Brightening Eye Serum
* SkinFood Black Raspberry Eye Cream
* SkinFood Rice Mask Wash Off
* Idylle EDT by Guerlain fragrance
* Guerlain issima Midnight Secret Late Night Recovery Treatment (not pictured)

This giveaway is open internationally.

How to Enter:

1. You must be a follower of this blog, publicly (otherwise I can't check).
2. Leave me a comment on this post with your email address, and the name you're using to follow me with if it's different to the one you're commenting with.

To double your chances of winning:

3. Repost this giveaway on your own blog linking back to me. (If you do this, make sure you give me the link of your post in your comment).

Simple right? Just follow the above instructions. I will be checking!

Oh, and this giveaway will close on the Friday 16th July 2010, at 23.59 GMT (BST).
(Edit: I pushed it forward by a couple of days since I only just realised it's already 1st of July today! I'll give you around 2 weeks to enter xD)

I'll then pick the winner using a random number generator. =)

The winner will have 48 hours to reply to my email. If they don't I'm afraid I'll have to pick another winner. So make sure you leave me an email that you check often.

Happy joining~ Good luck!!

Tweet Tweet. Do you Twitter?

2010-06-24T12:56:00.002+01:00

I do feel like the slowest blogger on Earth to finally have dived onto the Twitter bandwagon.

If anyone particularly feels like following me on twitter, it'd be grand!

Either that or tell me your twitter name, and I'll look for you! I haven't quite got the hang of this yet.

Okay, now I need to nap, and go to the supermarket and buy myself some midnight snacks all before I need to be down at the hospital for 8pm. 12 hour overnight shift, here I come!

Hope you're all having bearable, maybe even excellent weeks so far! Stay health and out of hospital guys! =P

A Day Out With a Fellow Blogger and Swatches from Nic Nic's Giveaway Products

2010-06-21T20:40:00.006+01:00

On Saturday I finally met with Lai Ying/Leanne, a lovely London blogger. (Actually, she's having a giveaway right now too).

She's the cutest 17 year old I ever met! I was no way as cute as her when I was her age.

Man, I sound like an old granny.

This is a photo I stole from her. I hope she doesn't mind!!! Haha...

In case you don't know which one is me, I'm on the left. If you didn't know that, shame on you!

Although I don't blame you either. I haven't exactly been posting proper face-photos recently because of my conjunctivitis and allergic flaky skin!

We spent the day wandering around Westfields and we had crepes!

I don't know why the cream is outside..But hey, I guess that means you get to choose whether or not you want to eat all of it!

Excuse my eyes. They are literally stuck together. I have to prise them apart every once in a while. T___T Grossssss. I got some antibiotics for them..hopefully it'll stop the sticking!

Also sorry about the eyebags.

It's going to get even worse this week. From Thursday - Saturday I'm supposedly on-call from 8pm - 8 am. Except another medic who has already done hers said we're expected to stay until 11am the next day!

WHAT? THAT'S 15 HOURS IN HOSPITAL OVERNIGHT. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!!!!

And what's worse is my mum expects me to go furniture shopping with her on the Sunday. I'll just have gotten home by lunchtime on Sunday. How am I supposed to do anything apart from sleep?

Meh.

Anyway, Leanne if you are reading this, IT WAS AWESOME HANGING OUT WITH YOU! We should again sometime! =)

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And for anyone's interest about the Visee Palette and Maquillage Lipstick that Nic Nic sent me as prizes for her giveaway to celebrate the opening of her Japanese cosmetics shop apopofkawaii.com:

Visee Brilliance Forming Eyes Limited Edition in A6 (Blue):

Maquillage Lasting Perfect Rouge in PK753
Swatches on arm:

The colours all look really wearable! =)

I have to say, the I love the shimmery white colour in the Visee palette! It's like a gel/cream shadow that has a really nice texture! And the gold flecks in it are sooo pretty when applied to skin! Plus, because it's cream/gel, you get zero fall out! I'll have to try it to see if it creases though.

And the lipstick looks super sheer on the arm! It's actually very shimmery/glittery.

I also swatched it on the lips:

Bare lips (so dry...They've been PEELING AND FLAKING ALL WEEK!!! All part of the crazy allergic reaction I had last week):

Maquillage Lasting Perfect Rouge in PK753

Hopefully FOTD and reviews coming soon. It can't happen until after my acne breakout clears up.

Seriously. My face is TELLING ME I shouldn't eat Doritos so much. Last week I crunched my way through quite a lot.

I literally do have three spots in a triangular dorito shape on my brow!!!!! T____________T It's a sign, I'm sure of it!

apopofkawaii.com! Nic nic's giveaway prizes with love.

2010-06-18T10:49:00.002+01:00

As you may, or may not know.

I won fourth prize of Nic Nic's giveaway to celebrate the opening of her new online Japanese cosmetics store - apopofkawaii.com.

I was so overjoyed when she emailed me. I have never ever won anything before!

This morning I woke up to this being dropped on my bed.

After tearing through two layers of bubble wrap:

Inside:

Nic Nic surprised me because although I knew I had won the Maquillage Lasting Perfect Rouge and a Visee Brilliance Forming Eyes Limited Edition palette, she included that little Hello Kitty packet of something.

On closer inspection, I realised it was blotting paper!

A close up:

Check out the inside. How cool is this?

A pop up of Hello Kitty!! OMG.

Close ups of the official prizes from her shop, apopofkawaii.com

Maquillage Lasting Perfect Rouge in PK753. So pretty~~!!!

Visee Brilliance Forming Eyes Limited Edition in A6 (Blue). The polka dots

Pretty inside.

I'll swatch them and let you know what I think of them soon.

But what I want to say really is.

THANK YOU SO MUCH NIC NIC FOR HOLDING THIS GIVEAWAY!!!

So, to reiterate, please check out her online shop. She sells Japanese drugstore, mid-end and high-end cosmetics for competitive prices and with reasonable shipping charges.

On a side note.

YIPPEEE IT'S FRIDAY!!! Ohhhh. What are you guys up to this weekend then?

Benefit it STICK - Conceal it all stick. A real review.

2010-06-17T18:10:00.005+01:00

Previously, I posted about benefit's rather fail BADgal smouldering black eyeliner pencil that I got from this month's GLAMOUR mag (UK edition).

This time it's what I think of their it STICK conceal it all stick.

This so called it STICK is essentially a rather chubby concealer pencil.

Before we advance any further, I just checked on the benefit websites, and apparently the it STICK is discontinued. But that hasn't stopped GLAMOUR from giving them away with their mags.

Also, a warning for those of you who haven't snapped up copies of GLAMOUR yet: This concealer comes in one-shade only.

I'd guess it's about an NC15 in M.A.C. speak, since it's too light for my NC20 skin.

I must commend the texture though since it glides over my skin effortlessly.

Let's have a look at what Benefit claims about this concealer then. Apprently it's:

"the instant concealing pencil that disguises lines, blemishes and flaws of any kind for a smoother, younger appearance."

There's even usage instructions.

"To use: Draw whisker-like strokes in your laugh lines, crow's feet and creases and blend in with finger."

Sorry maties, but I don't have any laugh lines, crow feets or creases (not yet at least). As you can hopefully see in this photo:

So..um. I'll just smear it all over my blemishes, scars and dark spots.

I know, it looks terrifyingly light on my skin.

It doesn't look so terrible blended with a finger.

And you hardly even notice it with a dusting of Paul & Joe Loose Powder N (#01), although do note I haven't brushed off the excess powder yet. I couldn't be bothered to reach for my buffing brush.

What did I think?

Let's start on positives: Easy to apply, smooth texture and easy to blend.

Also, it didn't 'sweat' off after a few hours of wear, like some other concealers do.

Unfortunately though, the coverage of this concealer seemed pretty shoddy to me. It didn't even attempt to conceal my acne scars.

Also, the sheer paleness of the darn thing makes me look like I am sporting some proper manly moustache!

I appreciate that I probably do need to take some action against my dark upper lip hairs, but still, I swear it wasn't this obvious before.

So all in all

Price: 2/5. £14 for 2.4g. Just to give you an idea, a MAC studio finish concealer is 7g.
Packaging: 4/5. Cute and easy to use. Downside is you obviously have to have a fat pencil sharpener. And if you have a shoddy one which trims a lot of 'nib' off, it wastes product.
Texture: 4/5. It's creamy and easily blendible, although it's not particularly compatible with dry skin.
Coverage: 1/5. Coverage. What coverage? If you compare closely the before and after photos (before powder) I swear there is no difference.
Scent: 4/5. Like almost any other concealer out there. Nothing particularly strong or unpleasant.

Repurchase? Nope! This one-shade concealer is a rip off, especially with the fact that ASOS.com sells it for a whopping £17. I can find much better concealers for £17, thanks very much.

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On the topic of dark upper lip hair. What do you girls do with yours? Do share in the comments below!

Benefit BADgal Eyeliner? BADchoice more like.

2010-06-15T19:07:00.004+01:00

Apologies for not updating sooner. I kept meaning to, but never got round to it.

Firstly, before we get down to business I do spy a couple more followers, so thanks for that guys! I try to follow you back, but sometimes I can't find your blogs for whatever reason. So if you do have one, and noticed I'm missing from your followers list, give me a shout.

I really do appreciate it! I think I might do a reader's appreciation mini giveaway soon...so watch this space!

Okay. Now onto today's main headline.

If you're a frequenter of any blogs belonging to us Brits, you've probably seen an awful lot of GLAMOUR magazines, alongside with the free full-sized Benefit goodies they include with each copy.

Aye. I picked up my share too. Actually, I only got the BADgal smouldering black eye pencil and the it STICK conceal it all stick. There's also an eye bright or something which I passed on, since I'm ever-so happy with my UD 24/7 glide on eyeliner pencil in Yeyo (shimmery white) and the Shu Uemura Eye Light Pencil in 01

This isn't a proper review by the way. My eyes have been playing up again, so I can't really wear eye makeup at the mo'.

Anyway. The Benefit BADgal smouldering black eye pencil.

This chunky 'black' eye kohl normally retails for £14 (for 1.4g)

Before I say anything else...

This photo tells all.

1. Benefit BADgal smouldering eye pencil
2. M.A.C. Technakohl Liner Eye-Liner Kajal in Graphblack*
3. M.A.C. Powerpoint Eye Pencil in Engraved*
4. Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-on Eye pencils in Zero*

* - Waterproof eyeliners

I swatched it side by side with my other black eye kohls. I haven't rubbed any of them, and didn't go over the line or text again on any of them.

What the heck is going on there? I'm sorry, but if that's smouldering black, I might as well be a flying donkey.

Not only is BADgal not black, it's thickness makes precision application extremely difficult. But I suppose it makes it great for messy, smoky eyes, which I'm afraid I personally can't work.

This version is also not waterproof, although they have (recently) released a waterproof version. I don't do un-waterproof liner since my eyes water very easily.

So all in all BOY AM I GLAD I GOT THIS AS A MAGAZINE FREEBIE and didn't pay the full price for it. Although nothing in hell would possess me to pay £14 for a non-waterproof essentially grey eyeliner of that thickness.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not some kind of Benefit-hater. It's just my attempt to forewarn any other poor vulnerable consumers into getting this sad excuse for a supposedly ' smouldering black eyeliner'.

I want to be on holiday already! Totally not in the mood to work, but know I have to get on with it.

Anyone else get that feeling?

Blue bicycles & lip glow: a petit haul

2010-06-07T08:00:00.000+01:00

This is a quick clothes haul post. Last Friday I popped into town for nothing in particular really.

While I was in Zara I spotted a pretty pattern of blue bicycles. The blue on white reminded me of Chinese porcelain.

And I decided that the skirt that the pattern was on was pretty cute too.

So, I bought it.

This bag also caught my eye. It's huuuge and very roomy. Perfect for folders and lunchboxes. And it was only £30 (again from Zara). Teehee.

I also got this top stripey top with bow detail.

Oh wait, I remember what I went to town for.

A new Dior Lip Glow Color Reviver Balm. I've almost finished my old one (I reviewed it here). I swear the price has gone up. It was £21! Owch.

Have you bought anything recently and realised the price increment has been pretty steep since you last got it?

Review: Cellnique Skincare Experience and Chance to Receive Free Samples

2010-06-06T20:26:00.008+01:00

I was lucky enough to receive three full-sized items from Cellnique Cosmaceuticals to try out and review. I've been using them for just over a month now, so it's definitely time I did a review!

I've seen quite a few reviews by various bloggers about Cellnique which I hadn't heard of before, so I was curious to give it a shot, especially since they claim to be experts at targeting problem skin.

After a few email exchanges with Selina over at Cellnique, she sent me the products which she thought would suit my difficult skin (oily but sometimes very dry t-zone + occasional breakouts). I received the Vital Cellular Repair Masque, D'sensi Cream and the Skin Action Sebum Gel.

The packaging is very sleek and simple. The two jars are heavy glass, whilst the gel is in a heavy plastic bottle.

First off, I'll start with my favourite product: the Vital Cellular Repair Masque, which touts its key active ingredients to be yeast beta glucan, papaya extract and marine collagen and elastin. To see the full ingredients list, click the link.

Description from the website:

This gentle, nourishing and repairing mask is specially enriched with potent nutrients of to promote healthy skin and to further protect your skin from pollutant and environmental allergen assault. Suitable for all skin types including post-operation skin.

It claims to:

* Increase and allow retainment of skin moisture
* Restore skin collagen and elastin content to fight against aging and enlarged pores
* Stiulate cell renewal and promote scar healing
* Repair damaged cells and prevent further damage

Well, that's all and well, but what did I think?

Like I said, this was my favourite product. I've been using it once a week for the last four weeks, and it's a really nice pick-me-up when your skin feels a little tight and dry.

It left my skin feeling very soft and hydrated, and didn't irritate my skin at all. It also didn't cause me to break out either.

In terms of texture it's very creamy, yet light at the same time - not like those sticky clay masques that you can get.

It's got a pleasant, light tropical smell to it. Apparently it's pineapple, but it really is very faint! For someone who hates strongly fragranced face products, it's pretty good.

Overall:

Price: 3/5. $45 USD for 50ml. It's a little pricey, but I think one pot can last at least two months if you were to use it once a week.
Packaging: 4/5. Sleek but simple, a little like Clinique actually. The lid is so shiny! Warning, it's quite heavy though, so not so good for travelling! Also, it would be nice if it came with a spatula.
Texture: 5/5. Creamy but light.
Moisturising Effect: 4/5. Good enough to slightly soften my super dry spots. Unfortunately it doesn't completely irradicate my super stubborn dry patches. I have yet to find something that can!
Scent: 4/5. Faint tropical smell. You really have to stick your nose in the pot and inhale very deeply to work out what it is!

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My second favourite was the Skin Action Sebum Gel. It touts it's key active ingredients to be phyto bio-engineering technology, male fern root extract, potassium azelaoyl diglycinate, and witch hazel extract. For the full list of ingredients, click the link.

As you can see, it comes in a pump, which is quite nice considering it makes it more hygenic. I find that one (gentle) pump gives me the perfect amount to generously rub into my nose and forehead.

In terms of it's consistency, it's a clear but slightly turbid viscous liquid.

So, what does it claim to do?

Description

This is a phyto bio-engineering formulation gel for all skin types to reduce both blackheads and whiteheads on affected skin area without painful extraction. This daily maintenance gel also reduces sebum secretion, leaving the skin clear and producing smooth visible results within 10 days of application

And apparently, just so you know, it does this:

* Controls excess sebum
* Reduces formation of blackheads & whiteheads
* Reduces skin inflammation
* Controls and prevents breakouts
* Increases skin moisture and improves elasticity
* Anti-irritation

Well that's all fine and dandy, but did it live up to it's promises? Actually I think it did a pretty fair job. I did indeed find that with twice daily use it reduced the oiliness of my T-zone ever so slightly, and also reduced the amount of whiteheads on my nose slightly (I don't get blackheads really) (scroll to the bottom of this post for photos).

In terms of it's scent, it's a very strong menthol-type smell, which basically clears your nose! It's actually very refreshing, but it only lasts a few seconds because the smell soon evaporates to leave no scent whatsoever.

I also like this product because it leaves no trace of sticky film after you've applied it.

So overall:

Price: 2/5. $51 USD for 30ml.
Packaging: 5/5. Clean and simple pump bottle.
Texture: 4/5. A slightly viscous gel which leaves no sticky trace behind.
Action: 3/5. I'd give it 5/5 if it was a miracle product which prevented all break outs, unfortunately I still got the odd pimple!
Scent: 4/5. The menthol really hits you when you put it on your nose especially. This can be either a good or bad thing depending on how much you like the smell of peppermint!

------------------------

And finally, the D'sensi Cream, with its main active ingredients being boerhavia diffusa root extract, stearyl glycyrrhetinate and rice germ oil. To see the full ingredients click here.

Description:

A bio-curative formulation with Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract for extremely sensitive and delicate skin concerns. It calms discomfort and redness by neutralizing and protecting the skin’s reaction to harsh external conditions.

Apparently it has the following effects:

* Anti-inflammatory and anti-irritation
* Soothes and clams skin sensitivity
* Nourishes skin by moistening, preventing dryness and aging

Let's talk PROs first. It didn't break me out, and it's moisturising properties were good, even on my dry patches.

It has a very light, undistinguishable scent. In terms of the texture it's creamy and glides over the skin.

But, I'm afraid I just wasn't particularly impressed by this one. I think it was the texture that did it for me. I think I've become too accustomed to my Clarins HydraQuench which is very light and absorbs into the skin almost instantly. The D'Sensi cream seems to leave a slightly greasy feel to the skin.

Also, I was a little disappointed that I didn't get a mild tingling and warm feeling which it claims it should give.

Overall:

Price: 2/5. $51 USD for 30ml.
Packaging: 4/5. Simple. Again, quite a heavy little blighter due to the glass bottom. Would be nice to get a spatula with it.
Texture: 3/5. It's creamy and light, and slides over the skin easily, but when you rub it in it leaves a slight greasy feel.
Action: 2/5. I'm afraid I didn't notice anything particular about this cream.
Scent: 4/5. Almost undetectable. Very difficult to work out exactly what the scent is too, but it's not unpleasant.

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OVERALL. Are you ready? A before and after comparison (click to enlarge):

(I blocked one of my eyes out because it was really swollen. I keep rubbing it because it's itching like crazy).

My overall experience with the Cellinque products I received was good.

Like I said, I do really love the Vital Cellular Repair Masque, and the Skin Action Sebum Gel is pretty good too. I have definitely noticed less breakouts in my forehead region, and slightly less sebum production in my oily t-zone.

And for all you tree-hugging bunnies out there, Cellnique is supporting Earth Day, and is trying to get people to spread the little message:

Ok. Pay attention now.

Cellnique was also kind enough to allow the first 50 of my readers who email in to receive a free sample of their Vital Cellular Repair Masque (3ml) to try.

If you're interested, email in your full name, mailing/shipping address and your own blog's url (if applicable) to fbfreesample@cellnique.com with the subject pinkfishpie.blogspot.com. Valid until the 13th June 2010. So get emailing. =)

Sorry about the ever so long post, it's just that I didn't want to show my ugly mug without makeup in close-up mode three times for the three products.

My Neighbour Totoro FIMO models

2010-06-06T12:57:00.002+01:00

This morning I did plan to go to IKEA to look at some furniture, but the weather looked ghastly so I decided against it.

Instead, I stayed inside and watched one of my favourite films, My Neighbour Totoro (となりのトトロ, Tonari no Totoro).

I was joined by three little ones.

Hang on. I think I recognise their backsides...

Ah! I thought so! Mini Totoros...!

Actually, I made these last night from FIMO soft polymer clay, and then baked them at 130 degrees C for 25 minutes to harden. Tee hee.

Hope you have lovely Sunday afternoons! What are your plans? I suppose I should go grocery shopping, and tidy up a bit...

Review: Sexy Look Ultra Whitening Mask

2010-06-05T11:35:00.002+01:00

This morning, I'm going to be reviewing the Sexy Look Ultra Whitening Mask, which I received from Kathi over at Lotus Palace.

It's a Taiwanese mask brand, and as you can see...it has ear hooks.

On the front, it advertises it's whitening function being down to its pearl extract and hyaluronic acid.

It's ingredients:

Translations of back of the pack:

Uses: Softening, healing, moisturising, whitening and increasing luminosity to the skin.

Method: After cleansing and toning, apply the mask to your face hooking over each ear, then take the chin pieces and hook over corresponding ear.

Leave on for 10-15 minutes and then remove the mask.

If there is a lot of liquid left on your face, you can use your fingertips to gently apply pressure to your face to allow absorption of the liquid into your skin.

There is no need to rinse.

--------

Again, alike the Sexy Look Ultra Firming mask, the actual sheet mask is very soft and thick. It doesn't really have a strong scent, and I couldn't work out what it was.

After leaving it on for 15 minutes, my skin definitely felt softer, but I'm not sure about if it looked brighter.

It didn't break me out at all, and my skin was smoother and calmer afterwards! For brightening/whitening properties, it probably needs repeated use!

Review: Chanel Mat Lumiere Luminous Matte Powder Makeup SPF 10

2010-05-29T14:50:00.004+01:00

Today I'm going to be review Chanel Mat Lumiere Powder Foundation SPF 10 in #50 that I bought a few weeks ago.

Pretty, sleek black casing with a velvet pouch

Quite a large compact since the sponge is stored adjacent to the foundation.

It promises to blend delicately into the skin, mattifying shiny areas and evening the complexion.

It also claims to conceal imperfections and reveal the radiance of the face.

What's more, apparently the complexion will look flawless from morning until evening: even, velvety and embellished.

Well, let's see how it really works shall we?

I applied the foundation all over my face with the sponge provided:

PROs:

As you can see, it did a pretty good job of evening out my skintone.
Medium coverage
Keeps me shine free for a good 3-4 hours, which then then turns into a kind of glowy-look after that.
Scentless
Powder finely milled and very silky to the touch
Didn't cause my skin to break out
Refillable --> saves money, and the environment!
Big mirror in the compact

CONs:

Classic black casing of the compact is very pretty, but is a fingerprint magnet
The velvety pouch that comes with the compact appears very dusty very quickly. It also does a pretty crap job of keeping the compact inside, since it's a very loose fit.
Only SPF 10
Applying with the sponge achieves an almost cakey, chalky look
Almost too mattifying. My skin feels dry and tight after I apply it.
* Causes dry skin to appear flaky and disgusting.

A close up of my currently rather dry, but oily at the same time nose:

..Excuse my typo there.

I hope you can see that in the photo without, my nose doesn't look particularly flaky at all, but in the photo on the right, you can see it looks like big patches of my skin are missing and flaking off!

So the moral of the story here is don't buy this foundation if you have combination/oily skin with dry patches! Otherwise you'll end up looking like me. Ha ha.

Ok, so warning for combo/oily skinners with dry patches aside. If you have super duper oily skin, I suppose this foundation is perfect.

I found that the problems I was having with its chalky/cakeyness and super-mattifying properties were partially dispelled by applying it with a fluffy powder brush as opposed to the sponge. It gives a much more natural finish!

So overall, what do I think of this product?

Price: 3/5. £34 for 13g. Well, what do you expect, it's Chanel after all.
Packaging: 4/5. Sleek and sophisticated. I'm not the last ashamed to pull this out to touch up in public! Unfortunately the fingerprints make it rather less attractive.
Texture: 5/5. The powder is very finely milled and soft.
Finish: 4/5. Almost too matte and not very luminous in the slightest. However, good for truly oil-slick complexions.
Scent: 5/5. No scent at all. Hurrah!

Please note that this foundation review would have had a different note to it if I had reviewed it before last weekend.

My normally oily t-zone is currently very dry and itchy due to the fact that I was out in the sun almost all day on Sunday, and now I am suffering the consequences. As you may, or may not know I am mildly photosensitive, which means I basically have an allergy to UV rays.

Therefore, more than 1-2 hours in the sun, even with SPF 50 PA+++ protection spells bad news for me.

Woe is me. I'm so itchy!!!!!!!

Mr Whippy and the Happy Bush

2010-05-27T20:06:00.002+01:00

I sound like I am writing a Mr Men story. I'm afraid I haven't, but maybe I should.

I was just thinking about the warm sunny day that was bestowed upon us last Friday.

In the afternoon, we went to a local park.

We saw peacocks.

And a chicken. I think this one could give a small dog a run for its money in terms of its feather/fur coat!

And then we found a teashop, that was selling Mr Whippy soft ice cream at £1.00 each, and 20p for a flake. Why, I haven't had a Mr Whippy so cheap in years.

On the way out, I spotted a rather strange looking bush. It looked oddly...happy! What better than to stand next to a happy bush?

And on that happy note, I end my post. Almost the weekend guys!

Beauty related post coming tomorrow. Hopefully!

Nic Nic's Amazing Giveaway to Celebrate her Shop Opening!!

2010-05-27T19:07:00.003+01:00

The lovely Nic Nic over at bang bang she shoots is having a truly amazing giveaway to celebrate the opening of her internet Japanese cosmetics store:

I wish her all the success in the world! I think I will also be ordering my Japanese goods from her in the future!

She really is such a dear. And I like her even more because she is a BBC (that's British Born Chinese...) too! And we have the same accent!

Anyway, so this giveaway of hers is shocking.

No really.

Didn't I say it was shocking?

There's more too... Hop on over to her original blog post and check out her rules of entry for a chance of winning. Ends on the 6th June 11.59pm Tokyo Time!

9 Pose Photo Tag

2010-05-26T13:14:00.007+01:00

I've haven't done tags for ages because I keep forgetting, but Elisa's photo tag seemed pretty fun! I'm sorry if I've broken your particular order Elisa! I got so fed up resizing everything photoshop that I just spliced them altogether in no particular order!

Here we go (Control + Click image if you want to enlarge it. I'm not sure why the hell you'd want to though..)

It was actually pretty fun! I did it over my lunch break when I came back from hospital, so I'm wearing a shirt.

I'm not sure which one my favourite is. Possibly the bored one...! That's how I tend to look in some of my lectures when we have a particularly uninspiring lecturer.

I might comment also that my eyebrow raise was particularly bad because my 21 years seems to be catching up with me, and I am developing fairly prominent brow wrinkles when I raise my eyebrows. Therefore I took a snap from the side to avoid scaring you with the dastardly things.

Anyhow.

I pass this tag onto:

Maggie
Lai Ying
Jess
Blair
Catherine
Nic
Old Cow
Carine
Tash

I do genuinely hope that at least some of them do the tag. There's some particular people that I would love to see having a go, but if they don't feel like humoring my immature self, it's fine too!

Also, If I haven't included you but you feel like you want to do it, please do!!

Basically just make sure you take a photo of yourself doing each particular pose for each of the following:

1. Awesome dude
2. Bored
3. Someone farted
4. Fobby Cute
5. Emo
6. Kiss your phone
7. Over the shoulder
8. the eyebrow raise
9. Smartass

and then stick 'em all together! Would love to see any attempts that anyone feels they want to share!

Review: Sexy Look Ultra Firming Mask

2010-05-21T00:06:00.003+01:00

I haven't updated for a while since it's been pretty hectic!

I was lucky enough to receive 2 masks to try from Kathi at Lotus Palace to try and review! She's so lovely! She posted a review of the masks, and also offered to give away 2 masks for one blogger to try. Unfortunately someone else beat me to emailing her for them (way before me t00), but she offered to send me a couple anyway!

Her packaging was so sweet too! I think I'd be very tempted to order her Korean and Japanese cosmetics from her, simply to see the packaging. D'awww. Her laminated card for lotus palace is adorable too!

Anyway, so today I tried the Sexy Look Ultra Firming Mask. It's a taiwanese brand face mask which is interesting because it has ear-hooks!

Ingredients:

It's interesting how it toots its key ingredients on the front: red wine polyphenol and platinum

Uses: I might get my translations a little wrong here since I find it very difficult to read traditional Chinese (everything except the ingredients is in trad. Chinese), but I believe it claims it softens, heals, moisturises and increases the luminosity of the skin.

Method: After cleansing and toning, apply the mask to your face hooking over each ear, then take the chin pieces and hook over corresponding ear.

Leave on for 10-15 minutes and then remove the mask.

If there is a lot of liquid left on your face, you can use your fingertips to gently apply pressure to your face to allow absorption of the liquid into your skin.

There is no need to rinse.

----

So, here are my before, during and after shots! xD

I love the thickness of the face mask cloth! I forgot to take a photo of it out of the pack, but the material is very soft and thick unlike some other really flimsy masks. The mask is also saturated with the fluid, but it doesn't drip and make a mess everywhere.

The mask also smells quite fruity and pleasant but it isn't so strong that you can smell it whilst its on your face. I can't quite put my finger on what the scent is though.

I left it on for 15-20 minutes, and then removed it. I didn't rinse off the liquid as recommended, and it does leave a ever so slightly sticky film to the face, but it's nothing I can't cope with. I reckon if I sleep on it, it might do my skin some good.

I have to say my skin feels much softer and wasn't irritated at all by the mask. My jaw also feels tighter, but that's probably due to the fact that it was strapped up by the mask. It was actually quite constricting whilst I was using it, I felt like I really couldn't speak because my jaw was strapped to my ear..!

Did it actually thin my face? An hour later, and my jaw still feels quite tight. I'm not really sure to be honest. I'm thinking that if it did have any effect at all, you'd have to continue using the masks for a while! But I do know my skin feels more moisturised!

Kathi mentioned that she got the masks for a good deal on Sasa. I think it was something like 10 sheets for $10USD or something similiar? The RRP for each sheet mask is 60 Taiwan Yuan, which is approximately £1.30 or $1.80 USD. So it definitely looks like a good deal!

I might get some for myself. I'll see how my skin is looking tomorrow morning and will update you all on it.

I need to head off to sleep now. I need to do a presentation tomorrow, and I'm not sure how ready I am! Almost the weekend everyone! =)

Review: MAC Studio Finish Concealer SPF 35 in NC20 & Video Review of Clarisonic PLUS

2010-05-08T17:16:00.004+01:00

Firstly, I have made my first EVER video review: It was painstakingly difficult actually, because I kept garbling my words up, and my eye contact with the video camera is awful.

So yes. Here is my Clarisonic PLUS review on youtube:

I also reviewed it here.

Next up, is my review on the MAC Studio Finish Concealer SPF 35 in NC20 which I bought at Incheon International Airport.

The first thing I have to say about it is the texutre is actually very dry and not particularly creamy. It settles into fine lines as you can see here where I've swatched some onto the back of my hand.

It has settled into all the cracks!

Due to it's dry texture, if you have dry skin (or dry patches like me), it ends up caking and looks flaky, which is not a pretty sight. So, dry skinned and fine line-ridden beauty buddies STEER WELL CLEAR OF THIS CONCEALER!

Well, what if you've already bought it and are struggling with it?

I find that using a damp makeup wedge to apply it works.

Dip the dampened makeup wedge into the concealer, and apply straight to your skin, dabbing to achieve more coverage.

This is probably what's more interesting to you. Before and after pictures (I applied using a dampened sponge):

Tee hee. My skin is actually pretty scarred by acne..So for all of you that thought I had good skin were FOOLED by my camera, and makeup!

As you can see, coverage is medium. It hasn't managed to completely cover my acne scars on my cheeks, but as of yet I haven't found any concealers that do. If you guys know of any really heavy coverage concealers, please do let me know!

It also shows up really bright with flash as it contains SPF 35. I guess it's good since I tend to apply this concealer to my cheeks, nose and chin - all of which get a lot of sun exposure!

In terms of how long it lasts, it does actually stay on for quite a long time, usually almost a whole day. I do wear it with foundation and loose powder on top though.

Packaging: 5/5 I prefer flip tops to screw on caps.
Texture: 2/5 Very dry and quite hard. Difficult to blend, settles into fine lines, pores and cakes on dry skin.
Long-Lasting: 4/5 Fairly long lasting with foundation and loose powder set on top.
Coverage: 3/5 Medium coverage. Doesn't cover my acne scars 100%
Cost: 3/5 At £12.50 a pop, I could've bought myself at least 3 Barbara Daly for Tesco concealers, and I have to say, they're much better.
Repurchase? Probably not.

----------------

So what else was I wearing except the concealer today?

Here's a quick FOTD: It looks like silver on my eyes, but it's not. And I tried to do a tanned look, although it didn't really come out that way T_T

Face:

MAC Studio Concealer SPF 35
Lancome Photogenic Lumessence Foundation in #30
Guerlain Les Meteorites in Beige Chic #03 as all-over highlighter
Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in Bronze (as blush)
Benefit Hoola as contour
Paul & Joe Loose Powder N in #01

Eyes:
Benefit eyeshadow in Snow White
Benefit eyeshadow in Gilded
Sleek-i-Divine palette in Storm - gold and bronze
SkinFood Choco Eyeliner Jam in #3
MAC Fluid Liner in Blacktrack
Shiseido Eyelash Curler
Majolica Majorca mascara base
Estee Lauder Turbolash Mascara

Lips:
Clinique Long Last Glosswear in #08 Guavagold

Anyway, I hope you've having a good weekend so far! We're having seafood spaghetti for dinner. I should probably help my boyfriend cook it!

Johnson&Johnson's Baby Shampoo - a solution to my itchy scalp.

2010-05-08T10:33:00.004+01:00

I've always had problems with shampoos. They make my scalp itch 6-12 hours after I've washed my hair. It's particularly bad since I wash my hair every morning, so before I go to bed, I want to scratch like a crazy woman turned monkey or something.

I appreciate this post probably doesn't apply to the most of you. It might have something to do with the fact that I'm an eczema prone, dry-skinned-to-the-point-where-it-cracks kind of person.

If you've read any of my other posts, you're probably thinking hang on a second, why does this girl buy mattifying foundations then? The thing that sucks the most is, my dry skin affects everywhere on my body, except my T-zone, which is really quite oily.

Anyway, so back to shampoos. The one I had the WORST experience with was Tresemme. This stuff was the worst. My scalp was so freakin' itchy!

I switched to Aussie, since I love their deep conditioning treatment. Their shampoo also made my scalp itch 8-12 hours after washing.

Shiseido's Tsubaki line also made my scalp itchy 8-12 hours after washing (both red, and white).

And Asience wasn't that much better if I remember correctly.

So anyway, I thought what the heck, and the last time I ran out of shampoo I popped down to my local supermarket and picked up a bottle of this:

Ok, you have to use TONNES of this stuff for it to lather up properly, and the trade off is that you smell like a baby, but heck, I have had absolutely NO ITCHING WHATSOEVER since I started using this.

And all this stuff about baby shampoo not being strong enough for adults - nonsense, I say. My hair gets greasy after about 24 hours of no-washing. This shampoo actually keeps me grease-free for slightly longer than that.

I think it's gentler on my skin too. I have eczema on my face, and this shampoo hasn't been exacerbating that. It's also tear free - which is nice, especially since I have allergic conjunctivitis too. Fun times.

For all of you that aren't plagued by various atopic diseases like me, the good thing about this shampoo is that it's great to use to wash makeup brushes too, since it's gentle.

Anyway, that was just a quick post. I'm off to see How to Train your Dragon in 3D. Enjoy your Sunday!